Scientists have formed numerous different polyhydroxylated molecules. Carbon-based systems are well-known. For example, carbohydrates are ubiquitous in nature and serve as a source for chemical energy (glucose), the backbone for genetic information (ribose), and the organic constituents of plants (cellulose) or insects (chitin) (D. Voet, J. G. Voet, Biochemistry, 2nd ed., Wiley, N.Y., 1995, pp. 251-276. The three-dimensional network of silica and its derived minerals (F. Liebau, Structural Chemistry of Silicates, Springer, N.Y., 1985, p. 4) results from the condensation of polyhydroxylated silicates.
However, very few polyhydroxylated boron compounds are known. The most prominent polyhydroxylated boron compound is boric acid, B(OH).sub.3. Alkaline solutions of B(OH).sub.3 deposit Na.sub.2 [B.sub.4 O.sub.5 (OH).sub.4 ].nH.sub.2 O, which constitutes two abundant boron minerals, kernite (n=2) and borax (n=8) (F. A. Cotton, G. Wilkinson, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, 5th ed., Wiley, N.Y., 1988, pp. 164-169.). Other common boron structures include the trigonal and tetrahedral boron-oxygen units common to borate minerals, (G. A. Heller, Top. Curr. Chem. 1986, 131, 39-98), and the icosahedron. The allotropes of elemental boron, (J. Donohue, The Structures of the Elements, Wiley, N.Y., 1974, pp. 48-82) boron-rich solids (H. Hubert, B. Devouard, L. A. J. Garvie, M. O'Keeffe, P. R. Buseck, W. T. Petuskey, P. F. McMillan, Nature 1998, 391, 376-378) and the parent anion of the polyhedral boranes, [closo-B.sub.12 H.sub.12 ].sup.2- First reported by Hawthorne et al (A. R. Pitochalli and M. F. Hawthorne J. Am.Chem. Soc., 1960, 82, 3228 followed by J. A. Wunderlich, W. N. Lipscomb, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1960, 82, 4427-4428) all contain B.sub.12 icosahedral
The charge-delocalized icosahedral ion [closo-B.sub.12 H.sub.12 ].sup.2-, may be considered as the parent aromatic species for borane chemistry in a manner similar to that served by the benzene ring in organic (carbon) chemistry (M. F. Hawthorne, Advances in Boron Chemistry, Special Publication No. 201, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, 1997, pp. 261-272). However, while certain benzene and other aromatic compounds are known,(ie., phenol, hydroquinone, naphthol) fully hydroxylated aromatic compounds (all --H replaced by --OH) are not known or readily prepared. However, contrary to the process described herein for manufacturing the new hydoxylated borates, no reaction occurs when benzene is refluxed with boiling hydrogen peroxide. Isoelectronic substitution of one or two: B--H vertices in [closo-B.sub.12 H.sub.12 ].sup.2 by: C--H.sup.+ provides the aromatic derivatives [closo-1-CB.sub.11 H.sub.12 ].sup.-, and a set of three isomeric dicarbacarboranes (1,2- or ortho; 1,7- or meta; and 1,12- or para) closo-C.sub.2 B.sub.10 H.sub.12 R (N. Grimes, Carboranes, Academic Press, New York, 1970, p. 8). Each of these isoelectronic derivatives of [closo-B.sub.12 H.sub.12 ].sup.2-, undergoes characteristic hydrogen-substitution reactions at their B--H vertices resulting in a huge number of known icosahedral species.
Of special interest are derivatives in which every available B--H vertex has been substituted. Thus, hydrophobic derivatives of [closo-B.sub.12 H.sub.12 ].sup.2 and [closo-1-CB.sub.11 H.sub.12 ].sup.-, and the three isomeric dicarboboranes, such as [closo-B.sub.12 Cl.sub.12 ].sup.2- (W. H. Knoth, H. C. Miller, J. C. Sauer, J. H. Balthis, Y. T. Chia, E. L. Muetterties, Inorg, Chem, 1964, 3, 159-167), [closo-CB.sub.11 (CH.sub.3).sub.12 ].sup.-, (King, B. T.; Janousek, Z.; Gruner, B.; Trammell, M.; Noll, B. C.; Michl, J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 10902-10903), closo-1,12-C.sub.2 B.sub.10 (CH.sub.3).sub.12, (W. Jiang, C. B. Knobler, M. D. Mortimer, M. F. Hawthorne, Angew. Chem. 1995, 107, 1470-1473; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 1995, 34, 1332-1334.) and, [closo-B.sub.12 (CH.sub.3).sub.12 ].sup.2- (T. Peymann, C. B. Knobler, M. F. Hawthorne, J.Am. Chem. Soc., 1999, 121, 5601) have been synthesized. However, the existence or formulation of similar highly substituted polyhedral borane derivatives having hydrophilic substituents, such as hydroxyl have not been demonstrated.